


Blue

by ithilien22



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:23:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ithilien22/pseuds/ithilien22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Magnus's cat is occasionally better dressed than his boyfriend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blue

It's early evening still, but the last rays of the winter sun are already waning, casting a dim but warm glow across Magnus's living room. Magnus himself is crouched on the floor, trying to help Chairman Meow into his favorite kitty-sized smoking jacket. It's not going quite as smoothly as usual, though. The Chairman's noble bulk somehow seems a little bulkier than it did the last time he wore this particular garment.

Magnus sighs and tries to avoid resorting to magic, since he knows the cat in question wouldn't like it. He doesn't realize that they have an audience until he hears a sudden sound near the doorway - something between a cough and a laugh.

He knows it's Alec - they made plans this evening - but he doesn't look up until he has the Chairman finally situated.

Sure enough, Alec stands in the doorway, his expression fond but a little bewildered.

"What are you doing?" He asks as Magnus stands to greet him properly.

"Hello Alexander," he says, going in for a quick kiss that Alec immediately deepens.

"Hi," Alec responds as they eventually pull back, his smile bright.

"To answer your question, I was just helping the Chairman get dressed for this evening," Magnus explains. Alec eyebrows knit slightly as Magnus starts talking, and Magnus wonders if maybe he forgot he had even asked after their kiss. "He likes to look good for our guests."

"He's a cat," Alec points out helpfully. "He doesn't need clothes. He has fur."

"Yes darling, but he _likes_ it. Besides, it makes him look even more handsome, don't you think?"

Alec doesn't seem to know how to respond to that, and Magnus sighs.

"Come now, I know you're all about the whole utilitarian solider thing, but even you must have something that's just for your own pleasure." Magnus tries, "You know, something frivolous."

Alec just stares back at him, expression adorably perplexed, and Magnus suddenly feels like a complete idiot.

"Right," he breathes out as he realizes, torn between the dismay he feels at everything Alec has been denied, and the bright spark of affection he feels when he thinks of what it took for Alec to choose him despite it all. "It's me. I'm your frivolous thing."

"You're not frivolous," Alec replies immediately, completely sincere. "You're crucial. You're essential."

The affection wins out, and Magnus feels what he's sure is a ridiculous grin bloom across his face, completely out of his control. He lifts himself onto his toes so he can properly reward Alec for that statement, and he can feel his boyfriend's responding smile as they kiss.

"Besides, I have things," Alec says as they part, crossing his arms defensively. "I have... books and stuff."

"And books can be lovely," Magnus allows, reaching out and pulling Alec's arm out of his protective stance. Alec looks down at their joined hands in surprise, as if he hadn't realized the posture he'd taken. "But that's not exactly the kind of thing I meant. I'm thinking more of something that doesn't actually serve a function. Something that's just... _pretty_."

Alec smirks down at him, a little lopsided. "So basically, you just want an excuse to dress me?"

"It doesn't have to be clothes," Magnus argues, still smiling, "although, it's true, clothes can be a powerful thing."

He uses the hand that's not tangled in Alec's to gesture at himself, and is pleased when Alec takes the excuse to eye his outfit appreciatively. He knew the silk tunic was a good idea; purple is definitely his color.

"Maybe there's something you've thought about, that you've wanted, but you decided you didn't _need_ it," Magnus prods lightly, giving Alec's hand a soft squeeze. Alec looks thoughtful. He subconsciously traces one of the many rings on Magnus's hand with his thumb. 

"When I was a kid," he begins softly, eyes far away, as if the he's watching the memory as it surfaces, "maybe twelve or thirteen? Izzy begged our mother to let her go shopping by herself. It was all she talked about for weeks until mom finally relented as long as Jace and I went with her. So we did."

"It was... it was a really big deal at the time," Alec huffs out a self-deprecating laugh and Magnus's heart squeezes. "We weren't allowed out of the institute very often and never by ourselves. Izzy was beside herself - all the people and the colors and the shops. Jace pretended that he didn't care, but he was excited too."

"What about you?" Magnus asks when the pause in Alec's story lingers, trying to picture a mini Alec Lightwood experiencing the mundane world for the first time. "Were you excited?"

"I was terrified," Alec admits, his free hand moving up to rub at the back of his neck. "There were so many people and no way to cover all of the possible avenues for attack. All I could think about was having to go back to my mom and explain to her why I couldn't protect Izzy and Jace like she told me to."

Magnus makes a sound low in his throat and takes Alec's other hand, effectively stopping his nervous movements. 

"Have I mentioned recently how much I dislike your mother?" Magnus asks. His tone is conversational, but his eyes are sharp and bright. 

Alec rolls his eyes, but squeezes Magnus's hands gently before letting them go.

"That's not the point of the story," he chides. 

Magnus relents, holding his hands up slightly in a mock surrender. 

"The point is that I did buy something that day," Alec continues. "Something... _frivolous_."

He says the last word with a sort of half-smile that makes Magnus want to kiss him again. Leave it to Alexander to always find new ways to surprise him. 

"Well?" Magnus pushes when Alec doesn't continue. "The suspense is killing me!"

Alec laughs and then shrugs sheepishly. "It's stupid. I. It was just. There was a shoe store that Izzy spent what felt like _hours_ in, and they had... I didn't know shoelaces even came in different colors, but they had a whole wall, and I. Well. I bought some. Blue ones."

"Blue shoelaces," Magnus repeats. Alec shrugs again.

"I didn't need new shoelaces, or anything. I just liked them. They were sort of that color," he says, gesturing towards a cerulean vase sitting on a shelf across the room. "And they were the corded kind, not flat, you know?"

 _Blue shoelaces._ Magnus doesn't know if he will ever find the words to describe the love he has for this wonderful, ridiculous boy.

"I've never seen you wear blue shoelaces," he says, glancing down at the brown-grey laces currently adorning Alec's worn combat boots.

"I think I only wore them once," Alec frowns, as if trying to recall. "Hodge called them 'flashy' and then Jace teased me about it, maybe? So I ended up throwing them out."

Magnus doesn't realize his face has fallen until Alec looks down at him and smiles, cupping his cheek.

"They were just shoelaces, Magnus," he says gently. "It wasn't that big of a deal. I've never really cared about that sort of thing."

"We should get you another pair anyway," Magnus declares resolutely. He smooths his hands down the front of Alec's shirt and tries not to imagine him as a little boy, throwing away the only spot of color in his life.

" _I_ would never tease you about your shoelaces," he promises. He keeps his voice playful, but hopes that Alec hears the real promise underneath. _I would never try to take away something you loved._

"Well, duh," Alec agrees cheekily. "That's why I love you more than Jace."

Magnus knows Alec is kidding, but it doesn't stop his traitorous heart from fluttering in his chest at the idea of Alec placing him above Jace in his affections.

"Come on," Alec urges, taking his hand again. "We're going to miss our reservation."

Magnus lets himself be pulled out of the apartment, but resolves to go shopping first thing tomorrow. After all, teaching his boyfriend to accessorize has to start somewhere, and he'll take any excuse he can to see his gorgeous Alexander in blue.

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom is amazing; the stupid Alec & Jace heart-to-heart fic I posted the other day already has more kudos than anything else I've ever written! If any of you guys want to follow me on Tumblr or send me prompts or anything like that, [please do](https://ithilien-writes.tumblr.com/).


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